Hay and stock rack



PATEKTED FEB. 23, 1904. J. H. ANDERSON.

HAY AND STOCK RAUL APPLICATION FILED NOVv 25, 1903.

2 SHEETSEHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

No. 758,028. PATENTED PEB; 2a, 1904. v

J. ,H. ANDERSON-7 HAY AND STOCK RACK.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 25, 1903' .2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented February 23, 1904.

P TENT OFFICE.

HAY AND STOCK RACK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of 7 Letters Patent No. 753,028, dated February 23, 1904.

Application filed November 25, 1903. Serial No. 182,640. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN H. ANDERSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at 'Littlefalls, Morrison .county, Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hay and Stock Racks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain improvements in hay and stock racks, and relates more particularly to a convertible hay and stock rack for vehicles.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved rack so constructed-and arranged that it can be applied to any wagon box or body without alterations in the construction thereof and which can be quickly and easily adjusted to constitute either a stock-rack or a hay-rack and which can be as readily removed from the wagon-body when desired.

A further object of the invention is to provide certain improvements in details of construction and arrangements of parts whereby a highly-eiiicie'nt, durable, and exceedinglyeconomical and easily-adjusted hay and stock rack is produced.

The invention consists in certain novel features of construction and in combinations and arrangements of parts, as more fully and particularly pointed out and specified hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a wagon-box, showing my rack applied thereto and adjusted to constitute a stock-rack. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a wagon having my rack applied thereto and adjusted to hay-rack position. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view showing a portion of the wagon-box side, showing one of the supporting-posts of the rack and its hook or hanger, other parts being detached from the post. Fig. 4: is a cross-sectional view through the wagon-box and rack, the rack being adjusted to hay-rack position. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of one corner of the stock-rack, showing the means employed to look a side and end rack section together in vertical position.

In the drawings I have represented a wagonbox of any suitable, desirable, or ordinary construction comprising floor a, vertical sides Z), and front and rear end-gates c a. The end gates c d slide vertically in grooves formed by cleats or strips secured to the inner faces of the sides of the wagon-box, as is usual in the ordinary farm-wagon box. The sides of the box are secured in any suitable orordinary manner, and the wagon-box is usually braced or confined in position in connection with the bolsters by the ordinary stakes c.

It is an object of this invention to produce an improved wagon-rack as an article of independent manufacture and salethat is, a rack which does not require peculiar construction of the wagon-box or which requires the manufacture. and sale of the rack and box together,

but one which can be purchased by farmers and others and easily and quickly applied to and removed from the ordinary wagon-boxes previously in use on the farm or elsewhere without requiring alteration or changes in or additions to the construction of such ordinary or old wagon-boxes. In other words, my rack can be applied or removed by the ordinary person lacking in mechanical skill without requiring an expert to add parts to or change the construction of the wagon box. The

farmer or other user of wagons can purchase the rack in condition to be at once applied to any ordinary wagon-box or 'to be used interchangeably on the various ordinary Wagonboxes on the farm or, elsewhere.

The rack consists of four seotionsviz., a pair of similar side sections and a pair of preferably similar end sections. The front end section is usually similar to the rear end section, and each of these sections is carried by and removable with its end-gate, which slides vertically in the ways or grooves of the wagon-box sides and rests on the wagon-box floor. Each end section consists of the removable end gate or board, having the vertical posts h rigidly secured to the end portions thereof and arranged at the outer side of said upper portions of the bars 2', respectively. The lower ends of these braces k are cut to form the downwardly-projecting or end tenons 7c and the shoulders or abutments k on opposite sides of each tenon. The posts 7b are formed with mortises k located centrally and opening through their outer edges to receive the tenon in, with the shoulders k abutting against the outer faces of the posts on both sides of the mortises'. The bars c' preferably overlap the upper ends of the posts it and are arranged at the inner side edges thereof. The swinging legsic at their upper ends preferably overlap the upper portions of the bars 11 and are preferably arranged at the outer side edges'of the bars 2', so that the swinging legs lcare arranged approximately in the same ver. tical planes as their respective posts it. When the swinging rack-section, composed of slats j and bars 6, is swung outwardly and downwardly to its position in forming thehayrack, the legs 71; extend downwardly and inwardly from the swinging rack-section, with their tenons fitting in themortises of the posts it and with the shoulders k abutting against the outer faces of the posts. When said swinging end section is adjusted to the stock-rack position, it assumes the vertical position, with the bars 2' in vertical continuation of the posts it and with the swinging legs k hanging loosely and resting at their lower free ends against the outer faces of the posts 71. The lower ends of the swinging legs 7: are cut off at the proper angle to correspond with the angle assumed by the legs with respect to said posts when the tenons are fitted in the mortises to uphold and form a firm substantial support for the outwardly-swinging rack-section.

The two swinging side sections of the rack and their supporting and detaching devices are similar to each other, and the description of one applies to the other. Each side section consists of the cross-slats j, rigidly secured to and connecting the upright or verticallydisposed bars 2'. In the present instance, merely for purposes of illustration and without so limiting my invention, I show each swinging side section comprising three parallel bars 2" arranged at the ends and midway of the section. Each side section is shown provided with a post if for each bar 2', having a mortise opening A through its outer edge, the same as described in connection with the end sections, and a swinging leg is provided for each bar c". Each leg k is provided at its lower end with the tenon and shoulders to cooperate with the posts 7& and the mortises therein, the same as described in connection with the end sections. The lower ends of the bars z" are hinged to the upper ends of their respective posts [L3 by pivot-bolts, and the bars lap the upper ends of the posts 71/ so that each swinging leg or brace k will be in the vertical plane of its respective post 72 ment.

The posts k are arranged vertically at the outer faces of the wagon -box sides and are detachably hung on the wagon-body sides by hooks Z, projecting inwardly from the inner edges ofthe upper ends of the posts. Each hook consists of a base or shank fitted against the inner face or edge of the post it and ad justable vertically longitudinally of the post, and the hook Z extends horizontally to rest on the top edge of the wagon-body side and then elongated downwardly parallel with the post to extend for a distance vertically along the inner vertical face of the wagon-body side and form a firm bearing to hold the post in its proper vertical position against the outer face of the wagon-box side and to prevent outward lateral play of the post. Suitable means can be provided to secure the hook Z in the desired position and to permit vertical adjustment thereof longitudinally of the post to conform to wagon-boxes having sides of different dimensions. As a means which can be provided for this purpose I show bolt m passed removably through a bolt-hole m in the upper end portion of the post if and through the hookshank. The head of the bolt is usually located at the outer edge of the post, and a nut is located on the inner end of the bolt to screw down on the shank of the hook, and thereby lock the hook and the bolt in the desired adj ust- A vertical series of the bolt-holes m can be provided on a vertically-elongated slot as the equivalent of the bolt-holes to permit vertical adjustment of the hook on the post if. If the wagon-box side is too thick to properly receive the hook, a washer or liners can be placed between the inner face of the post and shank of the hook. It is to be understood that each post k is provided with one of these hooks and its adjusting devices, so that in the specific construct-ion illustrated each swinging side section of the rack is carried by three posts and hooks distributed along the sides of the wagon-box, and that each post is supported and held solely by its hook, which merely catches over the top edge of thewagon-box side, whereby the rack-sections can be easily applied to or removed from a wagon-box without requiring additions to or alterations in the construction of the wagon-box itself.

The side sections of the rack are supported in the inclined position in the formation of the hay-rack exactly as described in connec tion with the end sections.

When the swinging end and side sections of the rack are adjusted to their vertical positions to form the stock-rack, the cross-slats of the side section abut against and project beyond the end edges of the cross-slats of the 'end sections, and suitable means are provided to hold the swinging sections in the upright positions. For instance, I show the swinging end sections provided with hooks 0 near their side edges to enter eyes 0, near the ends of the side sections, so that the detachable connections between the sides and ends are located at the corners of the stock-rack.

10 is a cross-rod detachably connecting the upper ends of the middle opposite posts If to relieve the wagon-box sides of strain. If desired, this rod can have threaded ends passing through the. posts and provided with nuts at the outer edges of the posts, or the rod can be formed with end hooks to enter eyes or loops rigid with said bolts and arranged at the inner edges of the upper ends thereof.

It is evident that various changes and modifications might be resorted to in the forms, constructions, and arrangements of the parts described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim is 1. A wagon-body attachment comprising a hay and stock rack having supporting-posts formed with mortises in their outer faces and arranged vertically at the exterior of the wagon-box and means to confine the same thereto, and a swinging section comprising bars at their lower ends hinged to said posts, and freely-swinging legs at their upper ends hinged to said bars and at their lower free ends formed with tenons adapted to enter said mortises when the said section is swung down to the hay-rack position.

2. A wagon-box, in combination with a hay and stock rack comprising vertical posts arranged at the exterior of said box and having mortises opening through their outer faces, and swinging rack-sections, each section comprising rigidly-connected upright bars at their lower ends hinged to the upper ends of certain of said posts and swinging legs or braces, each brace arranged in the vertical plane of a post and at its upper end pivoted to the upper portion of the bar hinged to said post, the lower free end of each leg formed with a tenon to enter the mortise of the post and with shoulders to abut against the posts when the rack-section is thrown down to hay rack position, said legs hanging vertically from their upper ends freely beside said bars and posts and disengaged from said mortises when the sections are imvertical stock-rack position.

3. A wagon-box, in combination with a hay and stock rack comprising the two end and the two side sections, each end rack-section comprising a removable end-gate having vertical posts fixed thereto, and aswinging racksection hinged to the upper ends of said posts, and provided with swinging depending legs at their upper ends hinged to the swinging racksection, each side rack-section comprising posts having supporting-hooks to detachably catch over the wagon-box sides, and the swinging rack-section hinged to the upper ends of said posts and provided with the swinging depending legs, the lower free ends of said legs of the swinging side and end racksections formed to fit into and abut against the respective posts when said sections are swung to hay-rack position, and means to detachably lock said swinging side and end sections together when in the vertical position.

4:. A hay and stock rack for wagon-boxes comprising swinging side r ack-sections, means to support said sections when swung down to hay-rack position, means to hold the sections vertically in stock-rack position, vertical posts to the upper portions of which the lower portions of said rack-sections are pivoted, each post at its upper portion provided with a vertically-adjustable hook extending inwardly from the inner face of the post and formed with an elongated downwardly-extending bill, and

means securing said hook to the post and rendering the same vertically adjustable of the post.

5. Awagon-box stock and hay rack attachment comprising a pair of similar side sections, a pair of similar end sections, each end section consisting of a removable endgate provided with a swinging rack-section, and swinging depending supporting-legs, each side section consisting of vertical posts provided with the swinging rack-section and swinging supporting-legs and with support- 7 ing means to removably catch over the wagonbox sides.

6. A wagon-box rack attachment comprising swinging rack-sections and'a removable wagon-box end-gate having uprights rigid therewith and an end swinging rack-section pivoted to the upper ends of said uprights and provided with freely-swinging depending legs at'their upper ends pivoted thereto and at their lower free ends formed to removably fit in said uprights.

7 A wagon-box, in combination with a stock and hay rack attachment comprising front and rear removable end-gates, end swinging rack-sections hinged thereto, removable side rack-sections comprising vertical posts having vertically-adjustable supporting-hooks hung over the top edges of the wagon sides and the swinging rack-sections hinged to the posts, and detachable connections between the side and end swinging sections to lock said sections together in vertical position.

8. A wagon-box hay and stock rack attachment comprising. a removable rack-section having vertical posts and the swinging racksections hinged to the upper ends thereof, each post having a supporting-hook to detachably catch over the top edge of the wagonbox, and meansfor adjusting said hook vertically of the post.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN H. ANDERSON.

Witnesses:

T. G. GORDON, R. E. LESTER. 

